The Searching
by l a masaana
Summary: This story is based on “The Dragon Reborn”; book three of The Wheel of Time series. Although I have read the others, I decided to base this story solely on that book around the time where the middle of the book was taking place.


Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the Wheel of Time series, nor any of its characters or creations.  
  
Author's Note: This story is based on "The Dragon Reborn"; book three of The Wheel of Time series. Although I have read the others, I decided to base this story solely on that book around the time where the middle of the book was taking place. That is why, for instance, Amico and Joiya have not been captured, Amico stilled, and why the Black Ajah are still in Tear. Thank you. –Castille Vianosse  
  
***Chapter One**********The Black Ajah  
  
Egwene bolted upright in her bed, a cold sweat drenching her. Nynaeve and Elayne looked at her concernedly with raised eyebrows. She ran her fingers along the ter'angreal she held in her hand. That night when she had entered Tel'aran'rhiod, she had been faced with utter terror.  
  
"What is it? What did you - dream?" Elayne asked, the excitement in her voice she was trying to conceal quite obvious.  
  
"Hush, child! Don't sound like it is such a wonderful thing. Now, Egwene, what did you see in Tel'aran'rhiod?" Nynaeve asked.  
  
"It – it was horrible. Kayana is . . . evil. She wants to kill him." Egwene broke into a fit of tears.  
  
"Oh, get a hold of yourself! How do you ever expect us to stop Kayana from doing . . . whatever it is she's planning on doing if you can't even get the words out of your mouth?"  
  
Egwene scrubbed at her eyes. "Yes, yes, you are right Nynaeve." She took a few deep breaths and begun to tell of her dream. "I started out in the same green meadow as usual. I closed my eyes and pictured Liandrin, Amico, and others of the Black Ajah. I expected to find myself in the room with Callandor when I opened my eyes. Instead I found myself here, in the White Tower, in one of the novice's rooms. I looked around, puzzled and I was preparing to leave when Kayana walked in. She looked around suspiciously – I'm positive she couldn't see me – and then walked to her bed. She crouched down and peered underneath it. She crawled until all that was visible of her was her legs. When she emerged she carried a box. She knelt on the floor and before she opened the box she looked around cautiously again, still obviously not seeing me. Then she opened it. Kayana pulled out a map of Tear. She was studying it when a Fade emerged from a dark corner of her her room. 'Whom do you serve?' it asked her. Her head shot up and she let out a squeal. The Fade repeated the question.  
  
'The-the Great Lord of the Dark,' she frantically answered.  
  
'Then tell me, why are you here with the Tar Valon witches?'  
  
'I wish to join my sister, Liandrin, and her companions at Tear as one of the Black Ajah.  
  
The Fade let out something that sounded somewhat like a laugh. 'And what do you wish to do if you encounter Lews Therin Kinslayer?' He spat the name out as if he had dirt in his mouth.  
  
'I-I will kill him!'  
  
'Kill him will you?' he cackled and turned toward me. The corners of his lips turned up slightly and those empty eye sockets seemed to bore a hole through me. After what seemed like hours, he turned and retreated into the shadowy corner. Kayana turned toward me and squinted, as if trying to see something that wasn't there. She dismissed it and returned to the map of Tear. Then I woke up."  
  
Nynaeve raised an eyebrow and Elayne gasped. "We must tell the Amyrlin. We must." Elayne said.  
  
Nynaeve nodded, reluctance showing on her face. Just then there was a rap on the door. Nynaeve reached toward the knob and pulled the door open. Kayana was waiting there, fumbling with her fingers and looking at her feet. She seemed so innocent. Egwene and Elayne embraced saidar. Obvious surprise crossed Kayana's face, although she tried to conceal it.  
  
"What do you want?" Egwene asked defensively.  
  
Elayne nodded and Kayana snorted. "Light, you act as if I'm one of the Black Ajah or something." Egwene and Elayne exchanged glances.  
  
"What do you want?" Egwene asked again.  
  
Kayana smirked, as if she found it amusing that the three women were being so protective. "The Amyrlin Seat requests your presence. She needs to . . . discuss something with you."  
  
Egwene slowly began to release saidar, regretfully. So sweet was its call. Nynaeve meanwhile was giving a level look to Kayana whom was trying hard to return. "Tell me why the Amyrlin herself would send a novice to retrieve three powerful Accepted." Nynaeve seemed satisfied with her statement.  
  
"The Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills," she replied with a sneer. A glow began to work its way around Nynaeve. Her lips tightened and slowly the glow disappeared.  
  
"Well, go on! We don't need an escort."  
  
Kayana made a snide bow and hurried off toward the novice's quarters.  
  
"The Light blind her," Nynaeve hissed. "Well, are you just going to sit there gaping like a pair of girls come across a naked Galad?"  
  
Egwene glared at Nynaeve and Elayne made a sort of hacking noise, but they followed her out into the halls.  
  
The halls were empty except for the occasional Accepted scurrying along toward her room. The women hurried through the halls until they reached the door leading to the Amyrlin's quarters. Nynaeve raised her fist to the large, oak door and knocked. The Keeper of the Chronicles opened the door and gestured for them to come in. The Amyrlin turned her chair and greeted them serenely.  
  
"Good morning, Mother," the three women chanted.  
  
"Good morning, Daughters," the Amyrlin said. "Could you bring us something to eat?" she asked the Keeper of the Chronicles, who bowed and left the room quickly. "Have you found anything? Anything at all?"  
  
"Yes, yes, we have. I need to show you something, Mother." Egwene reached into her pouch and pulled out the ter'angreal. The Amyrlin Seat gasped.  
  
"Where in the Light did you get that? It is a ter'angreal, is it not?" she asked.  
  
Egwene nodded. "Yes Mother. I got it from Verin Sedai, in order to help me better see into Tel'aran'rhiod." The Amyrlin raised an eyebrow. "Tel'aran'rhiod is-"  
  
"Oh, I know very well what Tel'aran'rhiod is, child. I just did not expect Verin Sedai to help you reach it. Continue."  
  
"Last night, I used it, with Nynaeve and Elayne keeping watch over me, of course, and I saw Kayana."  
  
"Kayana?"  
  
"Yes." Egwene told the Amyrlin her dream in detail. When she was finished, the Amyrlin shook her head.  
  
"Such potential, that girl has. A wilder . . . why, she is perhaps more powerful than Liandrin now, as a novice. We must keep close watch on her. And she says I sent her? I did no such thing. I sent Anaiya Sedai. Why then did you receive the message from Kayana?"  
  
Elayne and Egwene exchanged glances and Nynaeve appeared puzzled. The Amyrlin Seat drew a sharp breath. "I will send for Leane and she will search for Anaiya. Meanwhile, I will need to . . . deal . . . with Kayana."  
  
Egwene's breath caught. "Surely you do not mean to – to still her?"  
  
"I have no other choice," the Amyrlin replied. "You will report back to your chambers and stay there. Unless I say otherwise, you will under no circumstances leave. You may leave."  
  
****~~^~~****  
  
R/R!!!! Chapter 2 up soon! 


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